Electric switch.



PATENTED JAN. 21, 1908. W. P. JONES.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED JULY13, 1907.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 876,970. PATENTED JAN. 21, 1908.

i P. JONES.

ELECTRIC SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED JULYIS, 1907. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' WITNESSES:

M. awn,

INVENTOR ATTORNEY & O 9 1 2 N A Tu D E T N E T A P H 0 B N W OS w m 0 EL E 0 7 6 7 00 m N APPLICATION FILED JULYlB. 1907.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENTOR ATTORN EY No. 876,970. PATENTEDJAN. 21, 1908.

W. P. JONES.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 13, 1907.

WITNESSES:

I INVENTOR 6 ZQA /W (%mae ,W M 6.5% P BY ATTORNEY parts at each of theinvention, however, the controller UNITED STATES ELECTRIC &MANUFACTURING COMIAN PATENT oFFioE. i.

Y, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Application filed July 13,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, WALTER F. Jonnsya subject of the Kingoi GreatBritain, and a resident of Eccles, near Manchester, England, haveinvented a new and useful Im rovement in Electric Switches, of which t efollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to switches for controlling electric ci cuits, suchas contrdllers, starting and n gulating switches and the like to be usedfor varying the resistance of a circuit, making or breaking itsconnections either singly changes in the grouping of its connections.

My invention consists in the special construction of a unit contactcylinder and in such combination of the units that a small number ofprincipal parts may be utilized to form many types of apparatus, thesame parts being suitable for constructing drum type controllers and,starting or regulating switches, of either single direction or reversingtype, for use in connection with either single or multi-phase circuits.or with either continuous or alternating currents of any amplitude orvoltage.

In the cylindrical or controller type of switch now generally in use, itis customary to have one segment through which the current enters, andanother throngh which it deplaces Where the circuit is made or broken;also, where resistances are to becut in or out, a segment is generallyprovided for each one or two ortions of such resistances. According to te present is so constructed that, the current enters and departs fromthe same segment, and-a considerable number of resistance sections canbe controlled from length of break secured that is equal to or greaterthan that which has hitherto been the practice.

The unit contact ring of my invention consists of a metal ring orcylinder provided with projections or teeth approximately equally spacedaround its periphery. In the spaces between these projections arearranged contacts suitably insulated from the ring, the extremities ofthe teeth and of these insulated l 3 contacts forming r. circular pathfor bontact blocks or brushes which are carried by the;

Specification of Letters Patent.

or in numbers, or of making the same segment and a Patented Jan. 21',1908.' 1907. Serial No. 383.657.

EXULA ND, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE movable member of the apparatus, andi l which serve to connect the teeth and successive insulated contactstogether. The

\ contact ring is connected to one conductor of i the supply circuit,and the insulated contacts are connected to the other conductor of thesupply circuit and to the elements of the l circuit to be controlled inaccordance with the 1 method of regulation which it is desired to 1practice.

The invention is illustrated in panying drawings, of which Figure 1 is ap an view, partly in. section, of

a single unit contact ring constructed in accordance with my invention.Fig. 2 is a .view, in sectional elevation, of the unit concontact ringcontroller for operating a direct current motor in either direction ofrotation. 1 Fig. 7 is a diagram of connections for a triple unit contactring controller for series-parallel control of two direct current seriesmotors. Fig. 8 is a diagram of connections for a double unit contactring controller forming a'starting switch for a three-phase alternatincurrent motor, and Fig. 9 is a diagram 0 connections for a quadrupleunit contact ring controller for starting and reversing a threephasealternating current motor.

Referring now'to Figs. 1 and 2, a metal ring is indicated at 1 havinrojections or teeth 2 cast upon it or fixe t suitable way. A number ofinsulated'contacts 3 are-located in the spaces between I the projections2, these contacts being proring'l and bolted thereto by means ofclamping plates 5 and nuts 6. Insulating washers 7 serve to insulate thecontacts 3 from the ring 1 The ends of ring 1 and the contacts 3 areprovided with copper contact segments 8. Surrounding ereto in any videdwith shanks 4 extending through the The rem ainprojections 2 of the Ilo-movable ring 9, the outer end springs 14.

material, and the either side of the brushes.

50 Figs. 5, 6 and 7.

the fixed ring 1 is a movable element or 5' with one or more sets ofbrushes or contact fingers arranged diametrically opposite to oneanother. As shown in Fig. 1, the brushes consist of four bolts 11 and 16sliding loosely in blocks 12 forming art of the t each bolt beingconnected electrically to the ring by means of flexible conductors 13,and the bolts being caused to press upon the contact surfaces of thefixed ring 1 by means of brushes 11 and 16, the movable ring may alsoconstitute a blow-out ma net for the controller, as shown in therawings, in which case the rin s l and 9 are of magnetic locks 12 of themovable rings are formed with pole tips 15 extending on each side of thebrushes l1 and 16. The pole tips 15 are protected from arcing by meansof shields of suitable material 17 on The energizing coil for operatingthe blow-out magnet may be Wound either, as shown at 18, on the blocks12 of the movable ring, or it may surround the yoke portions 19 of thesaid ring, as shown at 20. When the controller is intended for use withalternating currents, the rings 1 and 9 are composed of laminatlons inthe usual manner.

As shown in Fig. 3, the supports 10 carrying the movable ring 9 areconnected to a supporting frame 21 carried in bearings and fixed to theoperating handle 22 in any well known way. i

It will, of course, be understood thatthe unit contact ring may beemployed without any blow-out magent attachment, in'which case the polepieces 15 will be unnecessary. In cases, however, in which such a deviceis used, a further contact in the controller will be necessary, in orderto convey current for the'blow-out magnet to the movable element of thecontroller, consisting, for instance, of slip rings or plates 23 and 24,and brushes 25 and 26, as shown diagramnmtically in Evidently,a greaternumber of blow-out magnet pole tips or contact points may be employed,if desired.

Referring now to the remaining figures of the drawings which showdiagrams of conncctions for various uses to which a condirect currentcompound wound motor. By means ol the operating handle of thecontroller, the movable ring,- with its attached brushes, maybe broughtsuccessively into the positions a, b, c d, e. The a posltlon is Inaddition to carrying theam o the ofl position of the controller. Inthe 1) position, the brush 11 is in contact with the insulated contact27 while the brush 16 is in' contact with the projection 28 of the fixedring 1, and a circuit is completed from the positive terminal of thesupply circuit through the slip ring 23, blow out magnet coil 20, slipring 24, contact ring rojection 28 and movable ring 9 to the insu atedcontact 27. .At this point the current divides, part of it traversingthe shunt field winding 29, and thememainder going through theresistance 30, 35, 36, the armature 31 of the motor, and the seriesfield magnet winding.

.61 cuts out a further portion 35'of the resistance in a like manner,and movement of the controller to the final position e cuts out the.

remaining section 36 of the resistance, leaving the armature and seriesfield winding directly connected in series across the supply circuit.The shunt field winding 29 in positions 0, d and e is supplied withcurrent through the contact 27 and more or lessof the resistance 30, 35,36. d

' Fig.6 is a diagram of connections for a controller having two unitcontact rings arranged to operate a series motor in either direction ofrotation. As before, when the controller is in the position a, nocircuit is completed. Upon moving the controller to the position b, acircuit is completed from one terminal of the supply conductor throughthe slip ring 23, blow-out magnet coils 20 and 37, slip ring 24,projection 38 of the fixed ring 1, brush 1], movable ring 9, brush 16,contact 3!), resistance 40, armature 41, resistance 42, contact 43,brush 44, movable ring 45, brush 46, projection 47 of the second iixedring and series field winding 48, to the other terminal of the supplcircuit. A further movement of the control or to the position '0 cutsout the resistances 40 and 42 so that the motor will now operate at fullspeed in one direction of rotation. ()n moving the controller in theopposite d ection from the oll' position (1, namely, to the position b,acircuit is completed from the positive terminal of'the supply circuitthrough slip ring 23, blow-out nmgnet coils 20 and 37, slip ring 24,projection 49 of fixed ring 1, brush 1], movable ring 9, brush 16,contact 50, resistance 42, armature 4l, resistsupply circuit. Currentnow traverses the of rotation.

eve-p70 armature of the motor in the opposite direction to'that obtainedin the position b, and the motor consequently reverses its direction A iurther movement of the controller to the position cuts out the reslgstances 40 and 42, thus causing the motor tofoperate at full speed.

3 From what has been said with reference Figs. 5 and 6, the operation ofthe conshown in the remaining Figs. 7, 8 and 9 will readily beunderstood since these show Well-known methods of connection for thevariousstages of operation of two direct current series motors and athree-phase motor, respectively.

Fig. 7 shows a controller having three unit contact rings for effectingseries-parallel control of two direct current motors, and in the 1)position of the controller. the motors are connected in series with oneanother and with a resistance 51. In the 0 position, the resistance 51is cut out, and in the positions (1 and a, one of the motors is cut outof circuit, the two being connected in parallel and in series with theresistance in the .i" osition.

In the final position 9, the resir. .rice is cut out and the motors arethen connected in parallel with one another directly across the supplycircuit.

In Fig. 8, a double unit contact ring controller is used for the purposeof cutting out the resistances connected in the three arms of astar-connected secondary winding for an induction motor. This controllerhas only two operative positions, in the b position of which theresistances 52, 53 and 54 are in series with the windings of the motorwhile in the c position these resistances are cut out.

Fig. 9 shows a quadruple unit contact ring controller forming a startingand reversing switch for a three-phase alternating current motor. 'F heconnections are similar to those of Fig. 8, but two additional contactrings are added for reversing the connections of the primary winding ofthe motor to the supply circuit, in order to obtain a reversal in thedirection of rotation.

It will, of course, be understood that where more than a single contactring is employedthe movable ringsof the several units are mounted on thesame shaft and operate together by means of the operatin handle. Therings must also be insulated rom one another and the same applies to themovable rin s and their supports.

lihc cylinder or cylinders may be supported and protected in anysuitable manner, and the apparatus may be operated automatically by anyusual means. A plurality of units may also be arranged in parallel whengreater current capacity is required, or in series in cases Where a highv ltagc makes this desirable. In the latter case, by

advancing the angle at which the contacts stand from one contact ringrelative to another, any number of intermediate breaks cutting in or outresistances and the like may be arranged.

It willalso be understood that the insulated contacts and projections ofthe switch cont act ring may be arranged on the interior of the ring orcylinder, if desired, and that other variations from the forms hereinshown and described may be made without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention.

claim as my invention:

1. .A switch for electric circuits comprising a ring or cylinder ofconducting material having projecting .teeth around its peri herybetween which are arranged insulated-icontacts carried by the said ring,the extremities of the said teeth. and insulated contacts forming acontact path for relatively'mov- 1 able brushes which serve to makesuccessive connection between the projections of the ring and one ormore of the insulated contacts, substantially as described.

2. A controller for electric circuits comprising a ring of conductingmagnetic material having projecting teeth around its periphery betweenwhich are arranged insulated contacts connected to the elements of thecircuit to be controlled, and a rela-' tively movable ring or frameprovided with contact brushes and blow out ma net pole tips adjacentthereto, substantialy as described.

3. In a switch device, the combination of two relatively movable membersone of which has contact fingers or brushes and the other of whichcomprises two sets of alternately disposed contact segments, thesegments of one set bein .all electrically connected to ether and thoseof the other set being insu ated from the first named set and from eachother. v

4. The combination, of two relatively movable switch members one ofwhich has a plurality of contact fingers or brushes and the other ofwhich comprises a conducting ring having a pluralityof uninsulatedcontact projections and a plurality of contact projections thatalternate in osition with the uninsulated projections an are clamped tothe ring and insulated therefrom.

5. The combination of two relativel rotatable switch members one ofwhich as a plurality of sets of contact fingers or brushes and theother. of which comprises a plurality of conducting rings severallyprovided witha plurality of uninsulated contact projections and aplurality of alternately disposed and individually insulated contactprojections.

'6. In a controller, the combination with a plui ality of sets ofcontact lingers and a supporting frame therefor, of a plurality ofconducting rings each of which has two sets of contact projectionsadapted to engage one tions, said frame and ring being relatively 10 ofthe sets of contact fingers, one of said sets rotatable. of projectionsbeing insulated and the other In testimony whereof, I have hereunto setuninsulated from said ring. subscribed my'name this 24th day of June,

7. A controller comprising a conducting 1907. ring having a set ofintegral contact projec-. WALTER F. JONES. tions and an alternatingsetof insulated Witnessesz,

contact projections and a frame having con- JNo. S. PICK,

tact fingersto engage said contact projeo- -G. W. PINNER.

